1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates generally to exercise devices and more particularly to a jogging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art.
In recent years, the general public has become quite concerned with its health, and rightfully so. Due to the increase in pollution as well as recent awareness regarding the effect of cholesterol and fat on the heart, aerobic exercise has almost become a necessary form of assistance in combatting these problems. Some common forms of aerobic exercise include running, jogging, walking, swimming and general aerobic exercising. Aerobic exercising keeps the heart and lungs strong, and with a proper diet, may reduce the risk of a heart attack or a stroke, among other things.
Regarding some of these forms of aerobic exercise, and more particularly running or jogging, it is common for exercisers to merely go outdoors and jog or run for a predetermined distance. However, this form of exercise is only possible during the warmer months of the year. In addition, it may be difficult for one living in a city environment to find an area in which to comfortably run or jog over long distances. Accordingly, local health centers formed indoor running tracks to solve this problem. However, most health centers incorporate several types of exercise equipment in addition to an indoor track, and thus often cost a significant amount of money to use.
Therefore, for one to be able to exercise year round without the costs of joining a health club, several entities have designed running machines. These machines are premised upon two basic designs. The first is the moving tread mill type which actually gives the user the sensation of forward movement. The other is the "in place" jogging type apparatus. Regarding the "in place" type jogging apparatus, designers have incorporated a resilient yielding surface which simulates a soft running surface such as that of a common running track. A resilient yielding surface forces the user to engage in greater up and down movement during the use of the device. Such up and down movement of the center of gravity of the body results in greater energy expended during exercising. This, in turn, results in greater aerobic output within a shorter period of time.
An example of an "in place" type jogging apparatus incorporating a resilient yielding surface structure can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,222. The '222 device discloses an "in place" jogging apparatus including a pair of separate, flexible and deformable fluid filled volumes which are confined in an enclosure and react reciprocally to each other as body weight is applied alternately to each volume.
However, due to production and design costs, such an "in place" type jogger may be quite expensive. In addition, the yielding of the surface may not be a natural one which could, for example, cause back problems in the user. Further, depending on the size and weight of the user, a device like that of the '222 patent could be susceptible to damage (i.e. bursting of the volumes). Finally, an "in place" type jogger is subject to natural wear and tear from long term use.
It is thus a primary object of the present invention to alleviate some of the aforementioned problems and provide a naturally resilient or yielding surface, jogging apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive resilient yielding surface jogging apparatus.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an "in place" jogging apparatus which will not be susceptible to natural wear and tear due to long term use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an "in place" jogging apparatus which provides for greater aerobic expenditure within a shorter period of time.
It is an even further object of the present invention to provide a resilient yielding surface jogging apparatus which incorporates the use of natural sand as the resilient yielding surface.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a year round jogging apparatus which can be used in an indoor or outdoor environment.
These and other objects of the present invention will be clear from the following description.